Supreme Immutable Being - Rovinj
Passing by a restaurant that advertised "Breakfast" I noted one old gentleman sitting and smoking. I asked if the place was open and he said, "No, it opens at 10" (Right then it was 7:30 am.)
"Well, then you've got the whole place to yourself." I said.
"That's what they pay me for...to tell people that we are not open."
"And to sit and smoke and talk to the tourists. " I replied.
"Pretty much," he said.
"Tell me, across the bay they are building something very big. Is it a hotel.?" I wondered.
"Oh, yes! The Richest guy in Rovinj is building it and pays laborer so well but makes them work night and day!" He said between puffs.
"So, when I come back in two years it will be done!" I exclaimed.
"Oh no! It will be done in seven more months....He makes them work 27 hours a day! Do you understand?"
I told him I understood, the owner wanted it done soon!
"But, he is a tough boss," my new friend offered. "If he sees his workers loafing, then kaput!"
"Well," I replied, "I can see that he would fire workers for not working."
"Fire them? No he BEATS them!" He said
"Hmmm, I guess it would be best for me to keep my day job and not go into hotel construction in Rovinj then."
"You got THAT right!" He said as he opened another pack of cigarettes.
I nodded and turned away in search of a simple Cafe Americano with milk...and perhaps a simpler life.
Rovinj in the morning is quite nice. Yesterday I found a café that afforded a view of the bay but was near the loading and unloading zone for all the shops nearby. So whatever views I occasionally had, I had equal views of bread, milk and beer trucks unloading for the day. I happened to find this place across the bay (the photo above is my view from the café Maistra d.d. Where I am currently seated.)
(Euphemia)
Have you ever thought about how often and how far the bones/relics of the Saints are hidden, lost, stolen, sunk, destroyed and placed and replaced? Of course you haven't and neither do I think of this very much. Until one comes upon the story of the local Saint.
Case in point: St. Euphemia.
(Basilica of St. Euphemia)
The various stories do not match but go something like this.
Euphemia as a young teen who refused to offer sacrifice to a non-Christian god...because she was a Christian.
She was tortured. Thrown to the lions. Already she was in bad shape from the torture but the lions instead of mauling her just licked her wounds.
Alas, she still died. And the Emperor in question was Diocletian who made sport of torturing Christians. But like all the mighty, he fell and Constantine ascended to power and welcomed Christianity to the fading Roman Empire.
(Stairway to the tower)
Euphemia's bones were put in a gold sarcophagus and revered but then the iconoclasts, to whom nothing was sacred came to power a few hundred years later and took her bones from the church in Constantinople (Istanbul) and tossed them in the sea.
Sailors rescued the bones. Gave them to the church. The church gave them to the Bishop to hide. (Hiding the bones of Saints was a full time job back in Medieval times.)
The bones went here and there...ending up back in Constantinople, unless you believe that part of the bones or ALL of the bones ended up in Rovinj, Croatia and were entombed in a huge stone tomb and carted up the hill of the town and put in the newly renovated church and bell tower which has Euphemia's stature on the top. Somewhere along the way, it was reported that Euphemia was tortured on a wheel. So here statues always depict her holding the city of Rovinj while leaning on a cart wheel. (Sort of like the pose that Garth Brooks has on his record album covers.)
I've seen the tomb and the statues and the church and the bell tower and I must say that I now believe.
I believe that these are really good stories that inspired really good people to do good.
I'm told that there is a big conference in town this weekend. It is for tour operators and chamber of commerce types to promote the city of Rovinj.
From what I can tell, and after having seen all of Rovinj from every angle...promoting Rovinj as a destination-getaway should be about as difficult as promoting the Ohio State - Michigan football game...as difficult as convincing people that a smart phone is a great idea...a difficult as convincing people to accept a free thousand dollar bill.
Rovinj has got it goin'on.
In the not too distant past, it was a part of Italy for awhile; a remnant of the Venetian Empire and so Italian is the second language of this region. English is definitely third or fourth.
My Italian is rusty but I'd say this place is pretty occupied these days by Italians on holiday. I have never seen so many men with expensive sweaters casually draped over their shoulders in that European/Italian style that we have come to expect.
Jewelry....high-end jewelry, hand-made jewelry is big in this city too. If you break your stiletto heels while walking the ancient cobblestone streets and fall over, chances are you'll fall into the open door of a jewelry store.
The ratio of gelato shops to people is approximately 1:3.
Straciatello is still my favorite.
But you can't help loving the place. Last night I wanted to eat and then get out to the pier to see the sun set on the Adriatic Sea. I finished the meal and waited and waited for the bill or to catch a waiter's eye. European waiters are offended if you finish and do not linger...even if you have no drink or cappuccino. Just sit and wait....enjoy the evening and they'll get the bill to you near closing time.
But I was on a mission, I wanted to get to the nearby pier and see the sun set. Already people had cameras and tripods set on the pier, but not me....the waiters were busy serving the men with cashmere draped over their shoulders. I was wearing a PGA windbreaker....but an expensive one I might add...at least that is what Value City advertised when I bought it in Columbus.
I like this city. I like this café with its view of the city and the bay. I like the mellow music it plays. And if you have enough time someday....remember the old man who was guarding the cafe and told me about the new hotel? Some time I'll tell you the story he told me about the abundance of rats in the city of Rovinj.
But, I'll save that for another day.
Peace, Bob
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